‘Very low’ number of social houses in Birmingham 2022 Athletes Village, claim

The number of homes in Birmingham’s Athletes Village that will be turned into social or affordable housing after the Commonwealth Games is ‘very low’, according to the leader of city council.

He has also indicated that the main reason for this is the funding deal made with the government over the village.

Last week, it was announced at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham that the government would be providing £165 million in funding to help build the new Athletes Village in Perry Barr.

As well as the accommodation, the money will be used for a wider regeneration of the Perry Barr area, with an additional 3,500 homes on top of the 1,500 being built for the village.

Construction is due to begin next year, with the village being converted into housing once the games finish in 2022.

A CGI image of how Plot 10 (internal) of the Commonwealth Games 2022 athletes village would look. (Image: Birmingham City Council)

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However, leader of Birmingham City Council Ian Ward has warned that very few of the initial 1,500 homes will be turned into social or affordable housing.

Speaking on a Commonwealth Games panel last week, he indicated that the funding deal made with government did not allow for many homes to be turned into social or affordable housing.

But he did say he was hopeful for the other homes set to be built in Perry Barr.

“In order to make the numbers work to deliver the village there’s a very low number of social or affordable houses that will be built in the 1,500 for the village,” he said

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A CGI image of how Plot 9 of the Commonwealth Games 2022 athletes village would look. (Image: Birmingham City Council.)

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“But, as I said earlier, that will be the catalyst for a further 2,000 homes to be built in the neighbouring facility, and what we’ll look to do is drive up social and affordable housing off those other 2,000 to try and deliver our target.

“Our target in the Birmingham development plan is 35 per cent social and affordable housing. I think we’re doing better than elsewhere in the country at getting toward that target, but we don’t totally achieve it.

“But we will look to hit that target with the wider developments that will come along later.”

Earlier on this year a West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) document suggested that just 56 of the 1,500 homes would become social housing following the Games, though this has yet to be confirmed.

In a statement a spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said that, while figures have not yet been finalised, 24 per cent of the homes will be affordable housing, which ‘compares favourably with most new developments in the city’.